Sony Computer Entertainment America Celebrates Five Years of PSP

March 24, 2010

Sony Computer Entertainment
America Celebrates Five Years of PSP

Sony Computer Entertainment America
(SCEA) today celebrates the five-year anniversary of the PSP, the first
integrated handheld entertainment system to introduce console-quality gaming and
comprehensive entertainment capabilities to the portable market. Five years
after its North American debut on March 24, 2005, the PSP platform continues to
provide an unmatched portable entertainment experience, offer incredible value
and is still going strong with more than 17 million units of the PSP system sold
in the U.S. to-date.

“Five years ago, PlayStation had yet
to break into the portable market,” said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President,
Marketing and PlayStation Network, at Sony Computer Entertainment America.
“Today, the PSP system is a well-established handheld platform that continuously
redefines portable entertainment with quality that’s unparalleled. As PSP
celebrates its fifth anniversary, the best is yet to come. We’re very excited
about the vibrant 2010 lineup and are committed to continuing to offer
entertainment experiences and immersive gameplay only possible on the
PlayStation platform.”

“PlayStation has repeatedly made
bold decisions through the introduction of technology that continues to redefine
the entertainment landscape, whether it be in the living room or on-the-go,”
said Jesse Divnich, Vice President, Analyst Services at EEDAR. “Over the last
five years, the PSP system has always reflected Sony’s ability to understand and
meet the needs of modern consumers by providing a convergent device that offers
high-quality gaming, photo, movie, and audio support.”

Since 2005, more than 245 developers
have created software titles for the platform since launch. To date, users can
choose from more than 520 software titles available in the U.S. on UMD
(Universal Media Disc) and more than 300 titles on the PlayStation Network. With
award-winning first-party software titles including God of War: Chains of
Olympus, Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance: Retribution, and SOCOM:
Fireteam Bravo, and triple-A third-party franchises such as FINAL FANTASY
(Square Enix, Inc.) and Grand Theft Auto (RockStar Games), the PSP software
library features a variety of titles from every major publisher.

Access to PlayStation Store was
introduced to PSP owners in 2007 and has since helped to establish PlayStation
Network as the premier destination for downloadable gaming and entertainment
content. Today, PlayStation Network offers PSP owners tens of thousands of
digital entertainment choices, including over 20,000 movies and TV episodes,
“minis," digital comics, original programming, as well as more than 300 games,
many of which are exclusive.

PSP hardware has continued to evolve
from the original PSP-1000, which boasted a best-in-class, 4.3 inch
high-resolution LCD display, more than 125 games at launch, and built-in
wireless communications. In 2007, SCE released the PSP-2000 system, which was 33
percent lighter than the original model. In 2008, the PSP-3000 system debuted,
which featured an enhanced LCD screen with five times the color contrast ratio
of previous models. In fall 2009, the PSPgo system was made available in North
America, becoming the first and only all-digital, full-game handheld
entertainment system on the market.

With five years under its belt, the
PSP platform continues to introduce industry trend-setting features and
functionality and serves as a testament to the innovation and unmatched
entertainment experience the PlayStation brand delivers to consumers across its
portfolio of products.